Morning journal and courier., 1887-05-05
RIFLE AND REVOLVER,
Claim Jumping in the Palmy Days of
 Nevada Mining.

O1dAA S GIh PAAS HI tho DdHB Ot
 Nevada Mining.
 From the St. Louis Globe -Democrat.l
 "You people in St. Louis," said an old 49er, F'know nothing of what mining boom really is. Here the people are great ly excited if mine advances one hundred per cent. in value during month or two, but during the palmy days of Nevada min ing such changes were matters of daily oc- currence and occasioned no excitement at all. If a man struck ore anywhere in 8 good locality he could sell out for a good price within twenty y-four hours, and with out the long negotiations which are the custom here. But if he determined to re- tain the property he had to defend it with rifle and revolver, as he could expect no assistance from the officers of the law.
 E'I was in Ploche during 1871 and 1872, and certainly such q lawless community was never seen before. A few days after nay arrival in that camp witnessed an in stance of the way matters were carried on. Two American miners had uncovered 8 rich vein of silver and were taking out rich oar by the wagon load. One morning on going to work they found their claim occupied by dozen foreigners, who refused to give up possession and threatened the owners with instant death if they were in any way interfered with. An appeal to the law was greeted with seornful laughter. and the IDlH0fS SGW LQ0uS0lV6S dDOuG lO Ue uo- prived of the fruits of their honest toll. When they were about to give up in despair all attempts to recover their property from the hands of the lawless robbers help from an unexpected quarter arrived.
 ''Jack Kendrick, a man universally re spected and feared on account of his up- rightness and determination, stepped up to them and said that if they would give him 8 one-third interest in the mine he would drive off the robbers. These terms were at once agreed to, and without moments delay Kendrick sprang to the mouth of the tunnel and ordered those within to give up posses sion at once. Throwing down their tools and drawing their revolyers, the whole band came charging out with the intention of annihilating the man who presumed to in- terfere with them.
 ''Kendrick had taken his measures we'll. As soon as he spoke he sprang to the top of the bank at the mouth of the tunnel, and when the claim jumpers appeared opened fire on them with his Henry rifle. Seven were shot down before they fairly cleared the tunnel, and the remaining five, terrified at the fate of their comrades, made for town at top speed, with Kendrick in hot pursuit, and before they found shelter three more fell before his deadly rife. This wholesale slaughter struck terror into the lawless ele ment and about put an end to the high handed outrages which had previously been
 
 now one of the most highly respected citi- zens of Silver City, N. M.
 "One very lucrative industry was pursued by number of alleged miners, which for g year or two yielded them a handsome in- come Whenever these gentry learned that trade was about to be consummated they would come forward and set up a claim to the property in question. No one wished to buy mine and a lawsuit together, and the seller obliged to purchase the pretended claim in order to complete his sale.
 'sTnis was carried on for some time, until the miners determined to put stop to it. In one day several of these bogus claimants were taken out of Virginia City and hanged, and the vigilance committee gave notice that anyone who in future set up false claim to mine would meet like fate. This stopped all attempts of this nature, and by 1873 the reign of fraud and violence was about at an end Since that time the mines have been comparatively quiet, but none who lived there during the early days will ever forget the wild lawlessness that prevailed"